A love of chocolate gets man in a lot of trouble: South Euclid Police Blotter

ROBBERY, MAYFIELD ROAD: As store security watched just before 3 p.m. March 6, a man shopping at Giant Eagle, slipped five bars of high-priced chocolate into his pants. The man selected other items and paid for them, but did not pay for the chocolate bars, valued at $18.35.

The man was stopped in the store’s lot and led back inside. Just before entering the security office, the suspect, 35, of South Euclid, attempted to run. When police arrived, the man attempted to escape once more, then fought with officers as they tried to handcuff him.

Once handcuffed, officers again struggled with the man as they tried to put him in a cruiser. The suspect had managed to maneuver his handcuffed hands to the front of his body. He was taken to the ground and threatened with a Taser before he was subdued. The suspect later complained of pain in his wrists and arms.

PROPERTY DAMAGE, TAMALGA DRIVE: A woman went outside to pull her car into her driveway at 2 a.m. March 5 and found that someone had smashed her car’s front and driver’s side rear windows. Damaged was estimated at $400-$600.

DRIVING UNDER SUSPENSION, SOUTH GREEN ROAD: A northbound car was driven through a red light at the intersection of Mayfield and South Green roads at 9:40 p.m. March 3. During the subsequent traffic stop, it was found that the man’s license was suspended. The man was cited for driving with a suspended license and for driving through the red light.

PROPERTY DAMAGE, WARRENSVILLE CENTER ROAD: Someone knocked over a fire hydrant in front of 2128 Warrensville Center Road. No one saw the damage occur. The matter was reported to police the afternoon of March 4.

THEFT, WARRENSVILLE CENTER ROAD: A woman told police on March 4 that she took her car to be washed at Al Paul Car Wash, 2128 Warrensville Center Road, and at the time, her car contained four floor mats. After the wash, her car only contained three mats.

The business’s owner watched surveillance tapes and saw that only three mats were taken from the car. The woman said she recently paid $60 apiece for four mats.

THEFT, SOUTH GREEN ROAD: Police were called at 1:33 p.m. March 5 to Dollar general, 375 S. Green Road. There, an employee, 26, of South Euclid, was being questioned by the store’s manager about a theft of money. The manager told police to hurry because the employee was becoming upset.

Police arrested the employee, who allegedly admitted the theft, without incident. The employee is accused of voiding purchases that were made and then pocketing the money. In all, $111 was stolen.

CRIMINAL DAMAGE, MONTAGANO BOULEVARD: A woman parked her car in the street in front of her house at 8 p.m. March 4. About 2½ hours later, she went outside to move the car into her driveway and noticed two small BB holes in the rear driver’s side window. When she opened the door, the glass shattered and fell in pieces.

A copper BB was found outside the car, and another inside the vehicle.

THEFT, MAYFIELD ROAD: As a Giant Eagle employee watched just before 4:30 p.m. March 1, a customer filled a shopping cart with items from throughout the store. As the man approached the front of the store, the cart was empty, yet the large winter coat the man wore seemed to be filled with items. It was found that the man, 65, of South Euclid, had concealed $42 worth of merchandise in his coat.

When police arrived, the man offered to pay for the goods. Police cited the man for theft and issued him a criminal trespass warning.

CRIMINAL DAMAGE, MAYFIELD ROAD: At 10:43 p.m. march 3, the owner of Rummy’s Bar, 4294 Mayfield Road told police that a man had thrown a brick through a window in the bar’s door. The owner described the mini-van in which the suspect had driven away.

Police stopped the mini-van on Mayfield Road. Before officers could ask the driver a question, he started yelling that he hadn’t done anything. There were two additional men in the van. One of these men said he was being rushed to the hospital because he believed he was having a stroke. Police summoned an emergency medical crew to tend to him.

Meanwhile, officers brought the bar owner to the scene and he identified the van’s driver as the man who broke the window. The man argued and yelled while in the bar, claiming the bar owner stole his cell phone. He had to be escorted from the bar. As he left he threatened to blow up the bar. The man actually used a hammer to break the window, causing damage of an estimated $300. The suspect’s van was towed.

OPERATING A VEHICLE WHILE INTOXICATED, MAYFIELD ROAD: An officer spotted a man talking on a hand-held cell phone while driving and instituted a traffic stop. The driver told the officer he was unaware that talking on a cell phone while driving was against the law in South Euclid.

The man said he was talking to a friend driving behind him, but no one stopped when police pulled over the man’s car. As police spoke with the driver, it was apparent that he was intoxicated. The man went on to fail a field sobriety test.

In his car, officers found a cup of a fruity-smelling alcoholic beverage. Further investigation revealed a flask containing a similar smelling alcoholic beverage inside the auto.

The driver, 43, of Euclid, was charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated and his car towed.

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